


The Aftermath of The Boss

by Colleen17



Category: Bonanza
Genre: Big Brothers, Bitterness, Family, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-18
Updated: 2013-07-18
Packaged: 2017-12-20 14:28:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/888334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Colleen17/pseuds/Colleen17
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Joe is left feeling bitter towards the citizens of Virginia City. His eldest brother guides him and reminds him that he is a Cartwright.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Aftermath of The Boss

 

Ben watched from the darkened doorway of the barn, his youngest son Joe was gently grooming his beloved horse and talking softly to her. It was the most relaxed he had seen his son in days. His recovery from a bullet to his shoulder had been slow. An infection had caused his shoulder to flare; the doctor having to open it up and drain it to get it to heal without permanently damaging his shoulder and subsequently losing the use of his arm.

Ben had observed a change in his son’s behaviour. There was an underlying bitterness since the shooting and the resulting court case. The jurors had voted against his and Joe’s testimonies. Ben knew that Joe had been deeply hurt by the verdict, the towns’ people not believing him. He had asked Joe to accompany him into town on several occasions only to be turned down.

“Joe, suppers ready.” Ben told his son hoping to start a much needed conversation. He was worried that if he didn’t address the problem soon that his son would change and lose the kind and compassionate spirit that made him so proud of him. Joe never acted any different towards his family; it was whenever he spoke of the towns’ people that Ben had noticed the edge in his son’s voice.

“Almost done Pa.” Joe hurried his actions.

“I was thinking Joe…..Hop Sing has tomorrow off for his cousin’s birthday….There’s a new restaurant opened near the Hotel.” Ben noticed his son’s body stiffen at the mention of town but he continued. “Adam has been pestering me about having a meal there….so I thought with Hop Sing away that we would go into town…have a meal….take in the show at the opera house and stay the night at the Hotel. What do you say?” Ben had walked slowly towards his son and placed his arm over his son’s shoulders, carefully. He could feel the tension in Joe’s body.

Joe looked down and put on a mask, he smiled at his father but in his eyes Ben could see the anger, betrayal and hurt. “Sure Pa.”

“Good….I hope the food is as good as they say.” Ben smiled at his son but could see that Joe was only saying yes to satisfy him. They walked into the house. Adam looked up and made eye contact with his father, trying to gauge Joe’s answer. Ben gave him a slight nod.

“I’m just going to wash up Pa.” Joe walked quickly up the stairs to his room.

When the door to Joe’s room shut Adam addressed his father. “I take it he said yes but he’s not overly excited about it.”

Ben sat down in his favourite red leather chair and sighed. “No….to say he was not happy about going into town would be an understatement. I wish I could find the right words to ease his pain Adam.”

“Do you think that our friends need to apologise personally to Joe?”

Ben shook his head. “No I don’t think that would make any difference to the way he feels. I think Joe feels betrayed by the town….you know your brother. He worries about how other people think of him.”

“And the verdict literally called him a liar. That’s it isn’t it?” Adam said dismally.

“Yes that’s it…..He has to somehow find it in himself to forgive those men.” Ben frowned. He had never known his son to hold a grudge for so long.

Ben looked up when Adam’s voice was close to him. “Pa he’s a Cartwright. He’ll come round. You just wait and see.”

“I wish I had your confidence Adam but somehow I don’t think just hoping for it will make it happen. Joe’s deeply hurt….it’s like he no longer trusts anyone outside of the family.” Ben stood and grabbed the poker to poke at the fire. He looked up the stairs. Adam could see the distress in his father’s face. “I’m worried Adam….I think we’re losing him.”

Adam sighed, thinking over his father’s words, he had to agree. It was as if little by little, day by day, the family lost some of what made Joe, Joe.

The next day as the family prepared to ride into town Joe became withdrawn. The tension oozed from his body. His temper was short and his actions were sharp and aggressive. Ben wondered if it was a good idea to go into town with Joe in his current state of mind.

When they were leaving the house Ben noticed Joe wasn’t wearing his gun. “Aren’t you going to wear your gun son?”

“No. Wouldn’t want the good citizens of Virginia City thinking I would just draw on them and ask questions later.” Joe vaulted onto his horse ignoring the stunned looks of his brothers.

Ben sighed and searched his mind for the right words. “Joe….they don’t think that way. There was more to that whole verdict than our testimonies.” Ben put his hand on his son’s leg. “You have to let it go son. Move on…..and find it in your heart to forgive them.”

“Pa there’s only four people I trust in this world and that are you, Adam, Hoss and Hop Sing. The rest don’t matter.” Joe said with conviction.

“That’s where you’re wrong son….because if the rest didn’t matter you wouldn’t be hurting the way you are.” Ben patted his leg and mounted Buck.

The four men rode into town quietly, all lost in their own thoughts. Joe looked more relaxed as he rode between his brothers but his body noticeably stiffened when they reached the boundary of Virginia City. He put on a mask on indifference as they entered the town. They stabled their horses and made their way to the Hotel. Once they were checked in they walked over to the restaurant.

Different residents of the town said hello as they passed, Ben, Adam and Hoss acknowledged them but Joe walked along staring straight ahead ignoring everyone except his family. Ben refrained from chastising his son, not wanting to cause a scene or have Joe leave and return home.

They were shown to their table. The restaurant was busy. “See it must be good for all these people to be here.” Adam announced.

“Well I’m not going to make up my mind till I’ve tasted the food.” Hoss declared and promptly read the menu.

Joe looked around and caught sight of some of the jurors from the trial. He frowned not wanting to sit in the same room as these people. Ben saw the frown.

“Joe….surely the menu’s not that bad.” Ben joked.

“No, just the company.” Joe said curtly.

“Well now….little brother…..we might just say the same about you. You’re wound up tighter than spring.” Hoss avowed.

“Joe, just relax and enjoy the family dinner please.” Ben placed his hand on his youngest son’s arm.

Joe chided himself for spoiling the family dinner with his surliness. “I’m sorry Pa.” He smiled and nodded. Ben smiled back and realised he hadn’t seen his son smile for a long time. Joe studied the menu and tried to forget about the people sitting around them and concentrated on his family, the only people who truly mattered.

Adam watched his brother. He could almost see daggers of hatred aimed at some of the towns’ people sitting in the restaurant. He understood that if Joe was to get past this that it was the towns’ people who needed to gain his brother’s forgiveness and respect. Time was what everyone needed and knowing his little brother that time would heal his bruised heart.

It would be Adam who would help Joe come to terms with the aftermath of the trial. His older wiser and more patient brother would help him realise the short comings of human nature. “Rise above their failures and show them what a good man is made of Joe. Show them what being a Cartwright truly is.”

Joe took his brother’s advice and came to terms with the towns’ people and held his head high knowing that he was right and that they were wrong. Although friendships were never quite the same, there was a new respect for the youngest Cartwright and Adam proudly watched his brother accept it.


End file.
